Masters of Bonsai Art

• Photographer
  Matthias Tunger Photodesign, Germany
• Studio
  Matthias Tunger Photodesign

These images are showing portraits of famous masters of the art of Bonsai. All persons are
photographed in in avery intimate moment in a meditational pose like Mr. Hatsuji Kato
(Tokyo) sitting behind a more than 300 year old Juniper tree closed eyes, meditating. Mr.
Tomohiro Masumi (Kyoto) is standing in the middle of his garden holding a Pinus Parviflora
tree with both hands bowing slightly his head. Mr. Takeyama is standing next to a Toro
stone latern wher the spirit of his garden lives, next to him an old gardenia tree with
flowers getting the very last few rays of the sunlight. Mr. Takao works mainly as a
potter, his art is very well known arround the globe his main tools are his hands helping
him to express his thoughts.
These images where a challenge for me to do, because it is very difficult to take
photographs like these of these famous bonsai masters. A lot of preperation was needed.
Even though I had a very precise idea of how I wanted to shoot these pictures I disucussed
the feeling, pose and place with the men I portraited when I was at their place. This is
how every portrait became a very individual portrait but connected with the same idea and
spirit these images are a serie of people who live the art of Bonsai.